Deck 25: George Berkeley: an Idealist Theory of Knowledge

Question 1

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Hylas asserts that existing and perceiving are

A) one and the same thing.
B) both in the mind only.
C) two distinct things.
D) imaginary.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Hylas eventually concedes to Philonous that heat and cold are

A) illusions.
B) physical objects.
C) only things existing apart from our minds.
D) only sensations existing in our minds.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Philonous believes that sensible things cannot exist except in

A) a mind.
B) absolute existence.
C) material substance.
D) a material universe.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Philonous concludes that God exists because

A) material substance exists.
B) all sensible things must be perceived by him.
C) God perceives all things having absolute subsistence.
D) God is material substance.

Question 5

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Hylas declares that the view that there is no such thing as material substance is the most extravagant opinion ever.

Question 6

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Philonous asks how the same food can taste sweet sometimes and bitter at other times if the taste was something inherent in the food.

Question 7

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Philonous forces Hylas to deny that sensible things have any real existence.

Question 8

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Philonous is a rationalist.

Question 9

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Hylas says that the reality of sensible things exists independent of minds.

Question 10

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Berkeley and Locke say that only ideas exist.

Question 11

In this dialogue Berkeley defends his belief that only ideas exist. "To be is to be perceived"-to be is to be an idea in a mind-and hence matter existing apart from the mind does not exist. In this dialogue Hylas (from the Greek word for "matter") debates with Philonous (from the Greek "love of mind"). The unique thing about Berkeley's idealism is that unlike traditional idealism (e.g., Plato's), it is not rationalistic. Berkeley does not propose that ideas exist independently but rather assumes an empirical foundation. He agrees with Locke that all ideas originate in sense experience and proceeds to show that all we ever experience are ideas. The only reality that exists to be known is perceivers and perceptions. To hold all of this ideal reality together one must posit a Divine mind that perceives us and hence causes our existence as ideas in the Divine's mind.
-Berkeley says there is no sound independent of our hearing it.